When people always ask me for my feedback, I always say that it’s hard for me when I’m involved in a conference. But in the words of Jeff Middleton, there were a lot more suit jackets in the room this year.

Yeah, there were single guys (and gals) but there were a lot of owners of companies that had these things call “staff”.

This year wasn’t about the hallways.

Being a one man shop, it is true that SMB Nation is more appropriate for me that it is for the CEO of OwnWebNow. I do not disagree.

SMB Nation was exactly what I expected it to be… a bootstrap event for IT companies that need a crash course introduction to community and business logic, with some additional technical material on the latest stuff. Even for the experienced business person, the Pocket MBA track provided new perspectives on challanges they face every day.

Stuff that I was excited about last year were not necessary items for me this year. I have grown in my understanding of business and tech, and my questions this year were different. For the most part, they got answered. The time was valuable for me and well spent.

I cannot say that this year was better than last. It was like Disneyland to me last year as I had never experienced anything remotely like it before.

As to the attendees, there were a substantial amount of new people there. Most that I met had been in business for a number of years and were seeking better business training or deciding on their future direction. I would say that the “new in business” crowd was not even close to a quarter of attendance. I do not remember even one “ignorance” question being asked during the sessions, though I am sure there was some. This was not a giant TS2 event. The legions of “professional” IT folks that show up in tshirts asking for the free stuff at Microsoft events were no where to be seen. Most everyone was dressed in business professional attire. They were courteous and attentive to the presenters. And, most of all, they actually paid a good chunk of change and committed time away from their businesses to learn at Jeff’s feet, Dana’s feet, Arlin’s feet, Wayne’s feet, etc. No, I do not regret the overall quality of the attendees at this event.

As a note of disclosure, I have written for SMB Nation and been paid for it. I have friends there and I root for their success. But I did pay the attendee price for admission and all the hotel and travel costs to go.

When you’re wrong, you’re wrong. You may not need to go there for training but you are a vendor to the SPF and small IT company. You missed out man. There were 600 small IT companies that don’t know you exist and no matter how sucessful you become, blowing off potential new customers is a really bad idea. Worse idea yet, is disrespecting the motoviation they have to go to an event like SMBNation to better themselves and their business. There are 600 potential customers that will remember or will find out that you don’t respect them.

Amy,

I don’t see how I was wrong, it was an SPF event and I’m not one so I wasn’t there. If SPF Nation was only good for marketing and advertising, I’d be there as a sponsor. I’ve never felt it was worth to direct push and sell into the SMB but to each his own.

We sell software and solutions all over the place, my “respect” for different models and people that have never heard of me does not enter the equation. If it ever did, this blog wouldn’t exist and all I’d be is a huge banner sign saying “Buy My Crap”

-Vlad

This was my third SMB Nation event. It was the best of the three that I have attended. The Pocket MBA track was very well done and I got a lot out of it even though I have been in business for 8 years.

I talked with a lot of people who did want to attend next years SMB Nation Conference.

You will not please everyone. There will always be people that don’t like it and that is fine. But there are plenty of people who do get quality information. they are just not as vocal about it.

We had 4 people from my local user group go out there and each one of them found it useful. And we are not all SPF’s. One has 3 employees, one has 8, one has 4 and the other is a SPF.

From what i was told, there were over 700 that attended and about half were alumni.

Given that you weren’t there, and apparently haven’t surveyed all 700+ attendees, I’d say that one can’t opine without facts.

This is why I try not to answer when folks ask “so what did you think about the conference” as for each individual there, they may have had a different experience.

We have a lot of opinions in the smb space, for sure.

I’m not criticizing. I am sure this was a very valuable conference for a lot of people just as it was for me when I went out there the first time.

I just go by the feedback from the people I respect. Lots of those didn’t go back this year, even more won’t go next year. As I recall, even you wouldn’t have gone unless it was to support Dana.

Really, I look at this as a business networking event, not a social event, and if my business partners won’t be there I don’t see how it is an insult to those that don’t know me, don’t work with me.

Is it an insult to the audience every time I am not at the event they choose to be?

-Vlad

Dana/Arlin/Harry brought the buzz back this year.

That’s the bottom line Vlad.

Don’t insult the attendees that did go there.

It was not SPFNation.

I have said it before, and I will say it again: I am not bowing down to the pressure of the MVP mafia, paid off presenters and other involved parties who are all just trying to save face of the event organizer that has continuously screwed this community.

I am stating my opinion, it is here in the public, it is that of me and the people I have spoken with. It is my judgement, which after all is my call, and if you disagree with it thats perfectly fine. But do not come here and put words in my mouth and imply I am insulting people just because I am trying to tell them there are better conferences out there.

My opinion. My audience. If you have a further opinion, voice it on your own blogs.